Breathing apparatus head harness connection



D. A. GREEN March 12, 1957 BREATHING APPARATUS HEAD HARNESS CONNECTION Filed June '24, 1954 United States Patent BREATHING APPARATUS HEAD HARNESS CONNECTION Daniel A. Green, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Mine Safety Appliances Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 24, 1954, Serial No. 439,049

4 Claims. (Cl. 128-140) This invention relates to breathing apparatus, and more particularly to the way in which a head harness is connected to a face-piece.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide breathing apparatus in which the head harness is securely fastened to the face-piece while in use and yet can be removed from it when desired, and in which the connection between the harness and face-piece is easy to manufacture.

In accordance with this invention, a head harness is connected to a face-piece by means including anchor members and metal washers. The washers are connected with the head harness and the anchor members are connected to the face-piece. Each of the anchor members includes a flexible button of slightly larger diameter than the hole in the adjoining washer. The button is connected to the face-piece by an intervening neck that extends through the washer. The button is adapted to be flexed to permit the washer to pass over it in either direction when desired. Each button is provided with a central recess to increase its flexibility, but yet the buttons are stilt enough to hold the washers on the necks. In one form of the invention the recess has an annular groove in its side wall, which holds a disc in the recess. The disc prevents the button from being compressed or flexed and thereby locks the washer on the anchor member until the disc is removed.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of my breathing apparatus, with one of the harness connections shown in cross section and another of them separated; and

Fig. 2 is a similar fragmentary view of a modification.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, a face-piece 1 of any conventional construction is formed from suitable flexible material, such as molded rubber. The face-piece is held in place over the face of a wearer by means of a head harness 2 that also may be formed from rubber. The ends of the head harness are detachably connected to the face-piece in a novel manner that now will be described.

Molded in the ends of the head harness are metal loops or eyes 3, which normally receive hooks 4 projected radially from metal washers 5. These Washers are connected to the marginal portions of the face-piece by anchor members. Each anchor member includes a button 7 that is connected by a short neck 8 to the face-piece. The buttons and necks preferably are molded integrally with the face-piece, although they could be cemented to the face-piece if desired. The necks are small enough to extend through the washers, but the diameter of each button is slightly greater than the diameter of the hole through the adjoining washer, so that the button overlies the washer to hold it in place. The buttons are stiff enough to keep the washers from pulling off the necks Patented Mar. 12, 1957 3 while the breathing apparatus is in use. On the other hand, the buttons, being made of the same material as the face-piece, have some degree of flexibility which is increased by providing each one with a central recess 9. The flexibility is suflicient to permit the buttons to be bent or flexed in order to pass the washers over them in applying the washers to the anchor members or removing them therefrom. Each recess 9 has an annular groove 10 in its side wall, which receives the edge of a metal disc 11 disposed in the recess. The disc is retained in the button and serves as a key or spreader that prevents the button from being flexed. In other words, as long as the disc is in place the washer can not be removed from the anchor member. If it becomes desirable to remove the washer, the disc has to be removed from the button first by stretching out the annular portion of the button overlying the disc and then pulling the disc out of the recess and groove.

In the modified embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 2 the washers 13 are molded into the perforated ends of the head harness 14 and therefore are permanently connected with it. As in the first embodiment, each of the anchor members on the face-piece 15 consists of a button 16 joined to the face-piece by a neck 17. The neck extends through a washer, and the button overlies the washer enough to prevent the head harness from being pulled away from the face-piece while it is in use. Flexibility of the button is increased by providing it with a central recess 18. Nevertheless, the washers can not be removed from the buttons unless the latter are squeezed together to permit them to pass through the holes in the washers.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. Breathing apparatus comprising a face-piece, a head harness therefor, metal washers connected with the head harness, and anchor members connecting the washers to the face-piece, each of said members including a flexible button of slightly larger diameter than the hole in the adjoining washer, and a neck extending through said hole and joining the button to the face-piece, the button being adapted to be flexed to permit the washer to be passed over it when desired.

2. Breathing apparatus according to claim 1, in which each button is provided with an open central recess increasing its flexibility.

3. Breathing apparatus according to claim 1, in which a button is provided with a central recess having an annular groove in its side wall, and a disc is disposed in said recess and groove to keep the button from being flexed as long as the disc is in place.

4. Breathing apparatus according to claim 1, in which said washers are embedded in the head harness.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,300,912 Dodge et a1. Nov. 3, 1942 2,312,630 Dauster Mar. 2, 1943 2,375,147 Teague May 1, 1945 

